Country calling codes: international dialling and ISO list

How to find a country calling code

Search by country name, a code beginning with a plus sign, or any ISO identifier. The United States row contains +1, US, USA and 840. The United Kingdom uses +44, Australia +61 and Japan +81.

The plus sign stands for the international access prefix supplied by the telephone network. A portable way to store a number is + country code + national number. A domestic trunk prefix, often written as a leading zero, is normally removed, although the exact rule belongs to the destination’s numbering plan.

A calling code is not an area code

A country calling code selects a country or shared numbering zone. An area code identifies a region inside that plan. In +44 20 7946 0958, +44 selects the United Kingdom and 20 identifies London. This table covers the international part, not local area-code directories.

Some destinations share a primary code. The United States, Canada and several Caribbean territories use the North American +1 zone; a following block such as +1 242 for the Bahamas identifies the destination. Russia and Kazakhstan share +7. Vatican City is reached through Italy’s +39 network, even though older datasets may still show the reserved +379 value.

ISO alpha-2, ISO alpha-3 and UN M49 explained

ISO alpha-2 is the two-letter identifier used in many forms and country-code domains, such as US. ISO alpha-3, such as USA, is easier to recognise in datasets. UN M49 is a three-digit statistical identifier maintained by the United Nations Statistics Division.

These fields solve different problems. E.164 calling codes route telephone numbers; ISO codes identify countries and territories; M49 supports statistical processing. Keeping them on one row makes cross-checking easier without implying that one can replace another.

Using country codes in spreadsheets and applications

• Store calling codes and M49 values as text so plus signs and leading zeroes survive.
• Use ISO alpha-2 or alpha-3 as a stable key instead of a translated country name.
• Keep the calling code separate from the national number when validation or formatting matters.
• Expect territories in ISO-based datasets: this reference has 248 entries, not only the 193 UN member states.

For country data that can be queried programmatically, open the country API entry or browse the wider API directory.

Sources and update policy

The starting set is the CC0 Complete List of Country & Dialing Codes. Identifiers and operational values were checked against ISO 3166, the United Nations M49 classification and numbering material from the International Telecommunication Union. Country names use current English display conventions.

Frequently asked questions

Which country uses +1?

+1 is shared by the North American Numbering Plan. It covers the United States, Canada and multiple Caribbean destinations, so the digits that follow +1 are needed to identify the place.

What country code is +81?

+81 is Japan’s international calling code. A caller outside Japan places it before the Japanese national number after removing the domestic trunk prefix where required.

Why are there 248 entries rather than 193?

ISO 3166-1 assigns identifiers to territories and special areas as well as sovereign UN member states. That wider scope is useful for shipping, forms, communications and international datasets.